Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Privacy Please

When we moved into the new casa, we encountered an interesting "problem" that needed to be solved right away. You will understand the emergency circumstances in a moment.

Our guest bathroom has a beautiful large window. It lets in a ton of light and the "view" consists of leafy verdant trees. "What is the problem?" say you. Well, let me just put it out there because there is no delicate way of saying this. The toilet is eye level to the side yard and the glass is translucent....no frosty treatment, no stained glass, no built in blinds. ZERO privacy.

We obviously sought out complete privacy for our guests and ourselves, but the idea of blocking out the light with a solid window treatment seemed depressing. However, anything sheer just would not do...unless we wanted our neighbors to be treated to a constant peep show.

Very much a problematic engineering issue. Regular fabric or bamboo roman blinds (my personal preference for all windows) are hung from the top of a window frame and then rolled up to let in light. Well, duh, the toilet is next to the bottom part of the window instead of the top part of the window.

I must have had design ESP because I filed away this idea in the back of my mind sort of knowing my next Nola house would present some kind of weirdo window issue. I thought this was a genius way to handle "privacy at the bottom of the window" issue. Reverse roller shades!

Both of these images are from the Cottage Living (RIP) Idea House in West Hollywood. I will pull my issue from my archives (RIP, II) to provide more information on the designer, etc.

If reverse roller shades can be executed, why can't reverse roman shades be executed? They can!

Our Roman shade with faux pleating at the bottom for purposes of a lil visual interest....didn't want there to just be a big flat piece of fabric affixed to the window. (Please inquire with me if you need the name of a truly fantastic and affordable seamstress for shades, drapes, and any other household fabric projects)

I hope this is a solution for you if you live in an old house with funny issues like this one. It was an easy and affordable solution to installing wooden interior shutters...and it definitely matches the aesthetic of our house more than the aforementioned shutters.

Cheers,

JSH

P.S. The fab fab (fabric) is from Calico Corners. I love CC as a source for very very affordable fabric. Their lines are becoming progressively more youthful and hip, too.

P.P.S. The shower curtain is from Pottery Barn Teen. Yep, I said it. I asked my alterations lady to add the thick strip of solid green fabric along the bottom to "customize" it a bit. A great and affordable way to make a "big box store" find your own.

About Me

As a lifelong design enthusiast and self-proclaimed bon vivant (albeit trapped in a lawyer's body!), I present to you, The Gimlet Eye, a virtual bulletin board documenting my own design projects and inspirations as well as the nifty ideas of others that are just too fabulous not to be passed along! Join me for a daily dose of occasionally-keen observations (and often delectable cocktails) as I share my thoughts on living the good life from the most wacky and wonderful place on Earth, Who Dat Nation/ New Orleans.